Debra Connolly, dietetic internship coordinator, Department of Public Health, Food Studies and Nutrition, was recently named Public Policy Chair for the New York State Dietetic Association (NYSDA) by the organization’s president elect , Molly Morgan, RD, CDN . She has started training for this role and will officially begin her term in June, 2014. In this role, she will serve as key connection between the Academy Of Nutrition and Dietetics ( AND) government relations and grassroots leaders on Academy public policy stances and processes. She will support Academy requests for action on federal legislative issues. She will maintain communication with the Academy Division of Government Affairs and at Public Policy Workshop (PPW) she will manage and lead training for RDs from NYS as well as coordinating lobbying appointments on Capitol Hill.
According to department chair, Kay Stearns Bruening, Debra has been “a wonderful leader in getting Falk College dietetic interns, faculty, students, preceptors and colleagues involved in the policy issues around nutrition.” She attends and accompanies interns educational workshops and programs, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Public Policy Workshop in Washington, DC where most recently she was instrumental in coordinating a visit with U.S. Representative Dan Maffei. “She is our local expert on dietetics licensure in NYS and has kept her finger on the pulse of other policy initiatives,” notes Bruening. Congratulations, and many thanks, to Debra for her leadership.